Brief Hours

Chapter Three

"Pst" A voice hissed, I stirred in my sleep but didn't wake. "Pst!!" the voice came again but louder and I turned over in my bed to see a familiar face outside my window. I sat up quickly and abruptly.

"William?" I gasped, rushing to open the window, I pulled him in quickly and he fell heavily on the carpet. "How did you get up here? How did you know where to find me?"

"You told me you lived in a manor house not to far from the village, well this is the only one" He pulled himself into a sitting position, rubbing his arm a bit, "also there is a nice clump of vines to climb"

"You are crazy, if someone saw you or heard you! You would be arrested William!" I whisper shouted, when I was suddenly aware of my thin night dress I dragged my dressing gown off the end of my bed and slipped it across my shoulders.

"I'm quick and quiet Emma, no one can catch me!" He jumped up excitedly and pretended to flex his muscles, I laughed at his little show.

"Mrs Black might" I giggled and his face fell.

"Mrs Black?" He asked nervously.

"Our housekeeper, she's old but trust me she can sense everything!" I giggled and he nodded slowly with a fake laugh to cover his fear. "I'm sure she didn't see you though"

"I hope she didn't" He shuddered then took a seat on my bed bench, I perched on the chair opposite my desk.

I watched him, he was looking at his hands that were clasped together in his lap. He looked worried and scared, I had only seen William once and was entirely surprised to see him here but I was concerned.

"Why did you come William?" I asked twirling a strand of my loose hair. He looked up and took a deep breath.

"I actually don't know, after we met I thought we clicked, that we were friends. Friends with that much in common don't come around everyday" He replied and I giggled.

"I guess thats a good enough answer but it's dangerous William." I told him in all seriousness, he couldn't just jump in through my window and expect to not get caught. What if my mother decided to come snooping or my father came to say goodnight, not that they ever did but they could.

"How else can I see you Emma? We are friends right? I don't really have many friends so I'm not sure how they work" He muttered.

"Of course we are friends William but we can't be friends if you get caught climbing into my window!" I exclaimed, "Let me find a way to come visit you?"

"Maybe, my father has spoken of an apprenticeship, the local butcher is looking for an apprentice apparently. I may not have time" He looked sad, I smiled at him though.

"Good thing I have all the time in the world then!"

We spent the entire evening talking, playing games and I took him around the house and showed him all the beautiful rooms and paintings.

I woke with a start. The memory left me feeling happier, it was the first time Will ever snuck into my window. I wish I could say I talked him out of climbing up the vines and through my window, most of the time I went to him.

But my morning was nicely interrupted by my mother rapping her knuckles on my door.

"Do rise Emma you're father has news!" Her shrill voice woke me even more then I already was. With a sigh I swung my legs out of bed and into a simple day dress, it was a beautiful turquoise with three quarter length sleeves. It had actually been three days since the party and my head was swimming, between Bertie and Father's "news" and my birthday I was confused.